Seashells and seaweed
by Ardente
Summary: Mermaids and mermen were rarely seen, but they existed, deep in the waters in their shell palaces. Shelt was a village that had mermaids, but after something awful happened, they didn't appear anymore. Retelling of the little mermaid.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Shelt Village was right by the ocean. Fishermen went out daily to capture their prizes and sell them to provide for their families. Shelt was said to be the luckiest town for fishing, the fish were large, healthy, tasty, and most importantly, there were many of them. Tiny, quaint, carefully built shops and businesses dotted the land, as well as straw roofed houses. The villagers were happy, and friendly towards one another, knowing everyone as was the case in small villages. Anyone who visited there would say that it was the most friendly, magical place, and promised to come back soon. Ships would always stop at the docks to stock up on rations even if they didn't need any, and would rush to the pubs and restaurants to be served by the pretty maids and indulge in homemade pie and vegetables from the garden out back.

Yet it wasn't just these things that made Shelt Village one of the most sought after places. It was also because the mer folk were said to live close to the village, deep in the ocean right by the roads that were pounded with the feet of eager townspeople. They were most said to be where the ocean rounded into the land like a half moon, creating some sort of large pool, with rocks perfect for sitting, and waters warm. Children often went swimming there. Mer folk lived all over the world of Thrain, but it was fairly rare that they came out of the water. Sometimes a person would see a flicker of large tail in the water, or a beautiful young girl with her head out the water combing her silvery green hair. Occasionally a child would run home and tell their parents of the nice woman they had met in the Pool, as they called it. And if a small child happened to find themselves in the water when their mother looked away, webbed hands pushed it back out to save it from drowning. When sailors and merchants docked in Shelt, the sailors would often try to catch a pretty sea maiden, but never succeeded, as they were too quick and intelligent. They could tell where bad intentions lay.

But then came the day the Pool grew cold, the fishermen returned home empty-handed, and the children found themselves all alone in the waters. That was the day when the unthinkably gruesome became reality.


	2. The flutter of a butterfly wing can undo...

NOTE: Now the beginning of this chapter is going to start of with a bit of science. Boring I know. But otherwise, it would be too hard to understand. (By the way, I am making this up.)

_The Anatomy of the Mermaid_

Mermaids and mermen are not as different from humans as we may think. From head to about two inches below their belly button they are the same as regular human beings, with the difference that their hair can be all sorts of colors, and their skin paler with a bluish greenish tinge. Then, scales begin, all the way to the tip of their tail. Mermaid scales are very delicate, and can peel off quite easily, but are rapidly replaced within a few minutes. Below the layers of scales are flesh, bone and muscle, which allow them to swim quickly and smoothly. At the end of their pointed tail are six feather like fins that are powerful and razor-like to the touch. The first scales on their abdomen peel away when they are aroused, displaying their genitals which remain covered for the most part. These scales can also be forced apart, but then this could damage them. On to the story!

A ship from Ulena had been traveling for many days, looking for treasure. When they had almost given up hope of land, they spotted the village Shelt. They quickly docked, and stepped into the small village, relieved to be on solid ground. Most of the men quickly sped off to Madame Malice's, a brothel, to seek the warmth between the whores' legs. A few went to eat, and seek shelter for the night.

One man, a fairly young sailor, had heard of this town, and the creatures that were rumored to have made their homes here. He explored the town a bit, ate, until the sky began to get dark. He exited the inn, and casually asked some villagers were the mer people lived. They pointed to the Pool, but warned him not to disturb them. He promised not to, went to purchase a net, and set off running to the Pool. He hid behind some rocks, and waited. He sat for hours, until the sky was black, thinking once in awhile he had seen the flicker of a fish tail, and then finally, he saw a pair of webbed hands come out of the water and grip the rocks, and watched as a woman's torso and a fish's tail rise out of the water. He gazed at her; she would be about seventeen in human years, with pale skin that seemed to glow, long deep red hair that contrasted against her skin, and gray eyes. He gazed hungrily as she settled herself on the rocks near him, and she began to comb her long hair with her fingers, her plump breasts, with dark nipples that matched her hair, pointed to the heavens. He waited until she lay down and closed her eyes, and then he threw the net over her. She began to scream a piercing scream, but the Pool was too far away, and no one could hear her. The sailor tied the net quickly so she couldn't escape, and hauled her away from the water, the rocks marking her skin while she writhed and twitched. He sat by her and waited for her to settle down. When she stopped moving, she looked at him with frightened eyes, her breasts heaving with her heavy breath.

"It will be more painful if you fight it", said the sailor. "Now…how do I go about this..." He gazed up and down her, and wondered how the mer people reproduced. He took the net off of her when he saw that she was too tired to fight any longer, and lay her down, spreading her arms out. He began to caress her lips and neck, down to her delicate breasts. After a little while of this, he noticed she began to enjoy it somewhat, and saw her scales on her abdomen began to stir.

"Ah, so that is the secret."

He laughed, and quickly undressed. He pried the scales away, most peeling away while the mermaid cried out in pain. He uncovered her parts, and quickly forced himself into her, her tail hitting him in the back. He abused her painfully, while the poor mermaid screamed and hissed. But she could do nothing. As the sailor used her over and over again, she slowly stopped yelling, and sank into oblivion. The sailor had squeezed and pushed her breasts so hard that angry looking bruises began to cover them. Cuts marked her body from his fingernails and teeth, while her now uncovered patch of flesh was surrounded in a thick silver substance, mermaid blood. The sailor had failed to notice that the mermaid's cries had not been for nothing, ten mermaids, her sisters, rose out of the water and crept over to him. They grabbed him, and with one cry, he sank into the ocean to a fate worse than death. The poor mermaid was beyond rescuing, her sisters noted, and they had to leave her there.

The mermaid crawled using her hands to the village square, her body scratched and damaged beyond recognition, until finally she lay down, her breath went ragged and unsteady, her vision cloudy, until soon her eyes closed.

The next morning, the villagers crowded around, not believing what they saw. One of their mermaids, dead! They followed the path of her blood to the Pool, their angry eyes took in the sailor's clothes, the finger marks in her bruised body, and the blood that surrounded her. The unthinkable had happened, for it was a terribly gruesome and horrible thing to capture and use a mermaid, forever a curse would lay in the place of death. The villagers grew furious, and went to find the other sailors who wore matching outfits to the one that had been left there. They found them buried between whores or asleep in the inns, and cursed them, sending them back to their ships. They mournfully made a watery grave for the mermaid. And that was the beginning of the undoing.

Thanks to all my fabulous reviewers, I love getting your thoughts, keep letting me know what I could do better, or what you like. Thanks!

KeppingTheMoon: aww thank you!

Crescentmoon 573: Yeah I tried to get a cliffhanger in the beginning, I am so glad you noticed it! (do you like cliffhangers?)

Midori Kosatsu: YES! Dark and creepy was exactly what I was going for!

Lumier's Lover: you were my first reviewer, thanks so much


	3. Roan

The villagers of Shelt village mourned the loss of the water's mermaid, and released the corpse back into the sea. All who watched observed the beautiful, yet scarred, young mermaid sink into the sea. Eerie hands grabbed at the body, and then black clouds soared over the skies, and for ten days Shelt went under a horrific rainstorm and terrifying winds.

Lips carressed her ear, one giggle, and she was off. Roan enjoyed the feeling of the sea's waters around her as she moved through the sea as fast as possible. Putting her hands in front of her she moved her tail to send her wherever she wished. She could feel the young merman watching her writhing tale maneuver through the water. Giggling, she continued to swim until she came to The Rocks, a series of large rocks with certain nooks and crannies where the young merpeople would sit around at. There was the main circular gathering of rocks that were exposed and was the main area to sit around at and flaunt the beauty they possessed. Roan instead dove into the plants, and found her familiar place, where she would sit on any occassion. She squirmed through the opening, and swam through the thin tunnel. She soon rose into a cave and surfaced above water, in an undersea water hole, where air was kept in a little bubble. She gripped the dark rocks, and slid herself onto a seat, half her tail still in the water as she lay back, waiting for her follower to surface. While waiting, she ran her hands through her now heavy dark red hair, which felt heavy out of the water. Roan made sure the pearly gray shells were in place on each of her breasts, and her dark red scales were shiny and smooth.

He rose, gasping as he surfaced into the air, something he'd never experienced before. After a few short seconds of experimenting with splashing water and moving in the air, his eyes settled on the mermaid lying in front of him, her tail flicking water at herself to keep her tail from drying. Her mouth was no longer smiling, and he watched her torso rising with the strain of her breath. He had perfected the art of flirting, luring many mermaids to fall in love with him, but this girl intrigued him. He swam towards her, and pushed him self up onto the rocks beside her. Moving slowly towards her, he watched her mouth open as her eyes were fixed on him. The kiss happened, their lips crashed together for a moment, and before their lips parted, they separated, breathing hard as they stared at each other. Roan then whispered, 'We'll be late'. She sank slowly into the water, and swam out of the tunnel, he close behind her. He easily caught up to her, and stayed close and continued until the crowds became visible, and they swam quickly into the middle. He grabbed her hand, and she turned to him, smiling.

Roan was happy. Kisses didn't happen everyday, this her first. She'd watched mermaids older than her follow certain paths, especially her sisters. Three married young, and were happy. One was in disgrace, having sunk into the world of temptation, of desire, of failure. She lived somewhere in the shadow waters, and hadn't been seen in years. Five had propelled themselves into the waters of class, taking advantage of their standings as the Duke's daughters, and Roan so far had done the same. Becoming one of the most popular and well known mermaids in the waters had taken great skill, but her good looks inherited from her mother and her father's and sisters' statuses had helped. Roan was the youngest besides one, her little sister Pael, a beautiful little girl who was still a little mergirl. Roan hoped that she would be a good sister for her, and would try her best to make sure her life was great.

The ceremony started, but Roan was only aware of him gripping her hand. She gazed up at him, revelling in the attention they brought. She giggled as other mergirls gazed longingly over at her.

"The surface intrigued me, I loved the humans that lived in Shelt. When humans would swim in the pool, some of us would swim a ways under and watch them, and sometimes aid them. It was rare that we ever surfaced, mer laws forbidded us to surface when many were present in the daytime. My aunt, when I as young, would bring me up at night. When she passed away, I continued to surface once in a while to simply watch the sky, and comb my hair in the cold midnight air.

One night, I was restless, my sisters had been out for a long time, leaving simply I and Pael alone. I heard them come in, and settle into their beds in our room. All our beds were in a circular room, our beds against the wall in a circle. In the center were tables of the most expensive lemon rock, pale yellow embedded with glittering stones. Mirrors were hung from the ceiling, and all our jewels, clam shells, seaweed scarves, and garments lay on the tables in shimmering piles. Our beauty area. After I was sure they had fallen asleep, I swam to the table, and tried on certain clam shells, until my eldest sister stirred in her sleep. I was making too much noise, so instead I decided to leave bare breasted. I made sure none of the others were awake, and left the room. The swim up to Shelt was always full of anticipation, and terror of someone discovering me. That night I had a bad feeling, yet continued on. My hands broke the water first, and I gripped the familiar rocks. I pulled myself onto them, and settled into my favorite spot, watching the sky. I lay may tail out, and began to comb my hair with my hands. I felt someone near me, and knew a human man was watching me. He thought I couldn't see him, but I could, yet I wanted to be watched. I was well aware of my exposed body, and lay down, allowing my breasts to be watched. I would never see him again, and I could just dive into the water if he moved towards me. After some time, I thought he left, and I began to drift off.

I was rudely awoken, and when my eyes opened, shock filled me as I realized I was covered in some sort of clinging trap, the man above me. Fear rose into my throat as I recognized a certain hungry look in his eye. I tried to escape, safety was so near, but I couldn't. He pulled me along the rocks, and I screamed as the water, my home, went further away from me. I hissed with pain, the rocks marking my skin, and my tail was drying. The next few minutes seemed an eternity. I tried my very best to get out of the strange trap, with no success. Soon I was too exhausted to even flick my tail. My eyes were fixed on the man, and he crept nearer to me. He pulled out a knife and cut the trap, I was free, yet too tired and too far from the water to go home. I felt helpless, and could hardly move. He neared me, and to my horror began to touch my breasts. He stroked me in ways I had only imagined, and I began to quiver. He sat on my belly and continued to stroke me until before I knew it the scales below my navel began to quiver. I blushed with embarrassment, I knew what this meant, and what should happen after if all was well. I hoped the man hadn't seen, but he had, and with a cackle that quieted my slight excitement, he touched my scales. I gasped, this was wrong beyond anything I had ever experienced. In sex, a mermaid's scales peeled away of their own accord, yet he began pulling them off. His legs were naked, and he forced himself into me. Anger and pain made my tail hit him hard, but it was for nothing. He abused me, hurt me, and I was sickened.

He finished soon enough, but I was broken beyone repair, and I knew it. I could see my sisters begin to rise in the waters, they recognized my cries, but I knew that it was too late, I was no better than dead. They killed the man, and left me. I pulled myself into the center of the town, so that the humans, whom I had once seen as kind, were now disgusting and wrong, and I wanted them to know what their kind had done. My last thoughts were of my family, and how I should have never have surfaced. Death seemed the best thing to happen to me, and I mourned the life I was no longer to lead, of the mermen who loved me, of everything I would never see."

Thank you everyone for reading, I'm so sorry I haven't updated, but I plan to continue this, so kept checking!

Thanks for the reviews, and please feel free to critic my work.

Ardente


	4. Changing the merpeople

"Good morning daughters! I am glad to see you all awake and ready. Now today we - - wait, where is Roan!" Terentio was the Sea King's brother, and father to the great number of mermaids.

Apsara rose to greet her father, her orange tail writhing with forced movement.

"Father, last night, we were all sound asleep when we heard Roan scream for help far away. We followed the voice of our sister, and it took us up to the pool. When our heads broke through the water, we were stunned to see Roan, naked, coupling with a human man. First we were angry, until we realized that it was not of her will. We took the man, but we had to leave Roan. She was so damaged we could not bring her down."

The Prince sunk to the sand ground and was silent. After a few moments he rose shaking with anger, and asked to see the man. One of the mermaids opened their chest where they kept their jewels, and there sat a man, naked from waist down. He was tied with seaweed, and was conscious only because the mermaids had given him breath so that he could endure the wrath of the prince.

"You, scum of the earth, have violated something you knew nothing about, and have ruined the way of life we have known all these years. For this, you shall pay. And to you, my daughters, know now that the surface is no longer a place of intrigue."

The Kingdom was called forth to the royal palace, and stood outside its gates as the King delivered a speech.

"Last night, one of ours has been raped and murdered by the humans. My niece, Roan. Though she should not have been above the water, this does not change the fact that humans have destroyed the mutual trust we have had. The man who committed this deed will be hung above her gravestone, though we do not have her body, in pieces. Let this be a lesson to us: humans are _not _nice creatures. They are an evil that we must fight, we must battle them. To do so, we will disappear. No longer will we aid them when water becomes their death. No longer will we make appearances in human's domain. We'll let the stories of our kind die. To institute these regulations, no more frolicking too close to the surface, and no more playing at the Pool. You may go."

Roan's sisters sat in their room, mourning their loss. Pael was out with their mother, and they began discussing something.

"We need to tell Minne," said one sister, speaking of the sister who was disgraced, living in the shadow lands. "Yet who will venture into her domain?" The girls remained silent, the shadow waters were places normal merpeople did not visit, they were dangerous, full of the riff raff of their kind.

Iara, the eldest, swam in front of her sisters. "I'll do it."

Swimming away from the merpeople land, Iara wondered how she would know she had arrived. Time went by, and she thought of her little sister Minne. She had wanted pretty things, and had done dirty deeds with the rich mermen in the kingdom to achieve sparkling little trinkets. She had broken apart several marriages, and ruined the lives of many. Iara soon notice the sand growing darker, the seaweed thicker, until it rose high into the sea. Pushing her way through the seaweed she struggled not to turn back, she gripped the knife her sisters had given her tightly.

The places seemed to be touched with darkness. Everything was darker, denser. The water was colder. The creatures she saw were filled with disastrous emotions, and she was shocked to see what went on in such a place. Dimly lit kelp bulbs illuminated the gritty roads, where trash was displayed all over. She stopped into what she thought was an inn to ask where Minne lived, and to her horror she had stumbled into a house of ill repute. Mermaids young and old, fat and slim, ugly and pretty, were laying on every surface, their breasts naked. Mermen took their pleasure with whichever one they wished, and moved on to the next. She pushed past a merman who tried to pull off her seaweed shawl, and tightened her grip around it. She found a girl who was not busy at the moment, she had pale yellow hair, her yellowish tail hung limply, her scales unkempt. Iara could see that her ribs stuck out prominently, and her breasts hung loosely and were bruised. Shocked to see that the scales around her abdomen that covered her privates were long gone, a sign of prostitution and excessive amounts of coupling.

"Excuse me, do you by some chance know where Minne lives?"

The girl stared at her limply. "Follow the road down for a bit, and then turn when you see the coral turn black. Keep swimming until you see nothing around you, and you will see her cave. She charges a lot, unlike some. And miss? Get out of here while you still can."

Iara thanked her, and hurried out of the place. She continued on, dismissing the men who shouted her way with a flick of her knife. Swimming until she no longer saw any building, she continued.

The cave was simply one big rock, surrounded by dead fish and dismal sea plants. Taking a deep breath, the poor mermaid rushed inside. She looked around until, in a corner, she saw her sister curled in a crevice.

"Minne- - Minne it's your sister."

The once beautiful mermaid opened her faded eyes, and uncurled her pale blue tale. She sat up straight, seemingly daring her sister to comment on her exposed body.

"Well well well. If it isn't the good old sister coming to see her failed kin. I have business arriving soon, so be quick. I should warn you that once you come here, it is near impossible to leave."

"Minne, Roan is dead."

Thanks so much for reading, I'll be updating really soon, and the next chapter will be a lot of Minne, which will be interesting.

Fireworksinmybackpocket: I'm sorry the last chapter was so confusing, Roan was the one raped and killed, by the human on the surface.

CherishGrace: I realize now it was confusing, because of the change of point of views. I guess I just got really carried away. I hope you still like it and keep reading!

Midori Kosatsu: I'm glad you liked it, I'm trying to update this one a lot.

Your Requiem: I know sorry it was so confusing!

Metaphorical: Yay I'm so glad you liked it

Glaze: I'm updating regularly, thanks for reading!

Ardente


	5. Rise and Fall

"Handsome is as handsome does, my beautiful fish, and you would do well to remember it."

A sing song voice wound its way into the emotions and spirits of the young mermaid, desire flowed through her veins with such a need it seemed to jump out of her very skin. Desire for anything, for a jewel, for a favor, or for control. Eyes shut with such feeling, her voice joined in the singing, one way to perhaps relieve her body of the exhausting want it always felt.

She wasn't the same as her other sisters, Iara had courage that pulsed in her heart, Roan had kindness, and the others felt strongly with a sense of duty, pride, and obligation. How she sometimes wished her emotions were less taxing, yet she could not change what her soul was composed of. All she felt night and day was need, she wanted everything so strongly. As a small mermaid, she had wanted things so badly she would throw tantrums to get what she wanted, and soon discard them because they lost their novelty. Yet she had grown, she was still not grown like her older sisters were, but she was not as little as Roan. She adored when her mother gave her attention, she knew she was her favorite. She stroked her mother's swollen belly, wondering about the new baby sister or perhaps even a brother she would have.

Minne had just grown out of childhood, her waist had tapered, her tail growing longer and leaner into an elegant, beautiful limb instead of the childlike stub she had had only a few months ago. She regaled in wearing beautiful shells below her neck, to cover the small yet prominent mounds of flesh she had sprouted. Longing for men to lust for her body, for them to shower her with gifts, led her to the attentive care she took. Every morning she would rub jelly fish across her breasts to firm them and keep them growing, and then carefully place her new jewels and shells to cover her pale blue nipples. Essence of coral was spread thick across her tail to make her scales glisten, and she took great care in the colors of her fins. Minne rarely ate, and when she did so, it was to eat fish that gave her great energy.

As weeks wore on, she became the favored daughter, their uncle the king always invited her to all the balls leaving many of her other sisters behind. Everyone adored her, and secretly desired her. Mermaids wanted to be friends with her and at the same time tear her long wavy blue hair out of her head. Mermen, married or not, wanted her, threatening to give in to suicide if she would not ease their pain.

The favored mermaid stood alone, she did not need friends, only admirers. Climbing the social ladder became her goal, her utmost desire.

"I always knew I would be great, being named Minne, queen of the sea. I was the youngest mermaid in society, yet the most sought after. I entertained men and all their wants, letting them follow me and kiss me. Yet I never grew attached."

Living a dazzling life, which could all come crashing down with one word, one promise.

Betrothal.

Betrothal for a mermaid lasted exactly two months, beginning the day the merman and the father of the bride decided on a date. Leading to this was courting, enquiring, and efforts to ensnare the young maid. Yet if the father agreed, there was nothing a mermaid could do, she was as good as sold. After the deal is determined, the mermaid was forced to give up her virginity, to the need of the merman.

Terentio fought off many bidders, though they came bearing great gifts in return for the keeping of the most beautiful mermaid in the waters. He enjoyed seeing how high these men would bid, and liked that they were after his daughter, rather than his niece, a princess. In this effort to capture Minne, four of her sisters were married, which suited the Prince well. Until one day, a merman came with an irrestible offer.

The kingdom celebrated the betrothal, the women glad she would be away from their mermen, the men envious of the one merman who had surpassed them, an old, fat, Count, who had great wealth. The merpeople puzzled over this change in heart of her father, it seemed as though no one was good enough, yet here was this ancient balding ugly man who had finally tempted him with something he couldn't refuse.

The betrothal ceremony took place in the courtyard, Minne covered in her betrothed's gifts of jewels. Tears ran down her eyes as she reluctantly offered her perfect hand in his rotten one.

"Rage replaced my desire, as I flung my vase at my father. I would not be betrothed, I hadn't even reached the peak of my youth, and to be promised to this disgusting old merman, was the worst thing that had ever happened to me. I would not let him get away with it.

That night, after the ceremony, my maids stripped me naked, and covered my nipples with two small sea diamonds, and wrapped a clear kelp wrap around my body.

They sent me to the ceremonial bed in the castle, where previous unhappy couples had lain. I swam around the bed, outraged.

The sick merman entered, and I fought to keep the vomit from spilling out. He came towards me, and his breath bubbles grew larger as he gasped. I was sickened as he motioned me to unwrap my shawl, and I did it as quick as possible. He ordered me on the bed, and removed the diamonds. I called him husband and let him get it over with. He kissed and sucked my newly grown plump breasts, marveling at the blue of my nipples. I ignored him, and wriggled myself away from his agape mouth. He soon toyed with my scales, until they finally peeled away with great force. He giggled like a girl, and I squirmed away from him.

'I'll have none of that, wife! You will do as I please!'

'I am not your wife, and never will be. I hate you, but I know my duty as a daughter.'

This enraged him, and he revealed his parts. I hissed in disgust, and he angrily pushed himself into me as I cried out in pain."

The couple writhed for a few short moments, until he relieved himself, and Minne swam home in anger.

The mermaid, her father hoped, would become more subdued, yet the opposite occurred. She took lovers one after the other, young men in her court, and paraded them in front of her husband. Yet one she loved, and always would. She left her home, and lived with him at nights in his cave. Her husband grew angry, and all would change for her.

"My first months of marriage I died inside. Nothing left, I simply was a wife in every sense except in the heart. I loved another, and could not see how I could be happy. I spent the nights in his cave, being with him, until one day, my husband had him murdered."

Holding his remains, Minne cried bitterly, and all changed. A fire lit her from within, and she murdered her husband and five of his friends. She made herself a countess, and invited the married men of the court into her chambers, leading to the splitting up of many great marriages. All she took joy in was the suffering of others, and inflicted it in as many ways as she saw fit. Then the unthinkable happened, the king, her own uncle, her flesh and blood, banished her to the shadow waters, with approval of her own father.

She became a common whore, letting the rotten spirits of the shadows touch her and prod her, for a few coins for her pocket. Minne grew to be coveted, and the price for a night with her grew and grew, mermen relishing her so they would pay anything.. She set up her own cave, with visitors coming to her hourly, and every night she cried, and thought of her dead love. None of her family ever came to see her again, and she accepted it as fate to her mistakes, though she wondered about them, of her sister whom she had really seen as she was simply a baby when she was banished.

Days wore on, her tail grew ragged, her fins ripped from the force of others, her breasts no longer lively and alert, but used, with bite marks covering them. Her scales were gone, leaving only those on her tale. Woe ripped her up from inside. The only living things she saw were the melancholy fish outside her tiny cave, the worn customers weren't alive to her, simply coins to keep her alive. Until one day, she saw her sister in her cave, and taking in her beauty and the utmost care she took to herself, she felt desire to be like her again well up inside, the substance that had so lit her as a youth, had rarely made an appearance in her life. Desire had died, and beauty had died.

The most beautiful mermaid was dead in all ways except that of her baby, pretty, child sister Roan.

Thank you so much for reading, this chapter was long, but I hope that you liked it.

(Hint, Minne is not the sea witch.)

Metaphorical: I'm so happy you found it heartbreaking, and I'm glad you see that the story is beginning!

Aedyn Star: Hmm I'm not going to say too much except that Minne most certainly is not the sea witch…

Glaze: I've updated! And will be all the time I've now realized what this story is becoming. I'm happy you see the darker side of the mermaids' world now.

Biancarobinson: Oh thank you so much! Yeah I'm sorry about that confusing chapter…

Midori Kosastsu: I'm glad you like it!


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